The Fibers of Bike Polo

January 10, 2013

Bike Polo, 61(w) x 51cm (h) 24″ x 20″, Machine and hand embroidery

Whether it’s a journalist wanting to do a story on some crazy kids on bikes, or a company trying to make a profit out of a sport they’ve never played, it’s always interesting to see people outside of the community take an interest in bike polo. For fibers artist Bettina Matzkuhn, her interest in bike polo came from passing the East Van bike polo club in action at Grandview Park. Matzkuhn was amazed at the skill and coordination that the polo players exhibited; she found bike polo to be “like a kaleidoscope, the constant swirling movement.” The sport inspired her to include a bike polo piece in her 2010 series, Play by Play, simply called “Bike Polo.” Play by Play is a set of textile pieces inspired by her neighborhood.

To find out more information about Bettina Matzkuhn’s artwork, visit her website!